ProFootball Focus Intelligence – Week 4
Back again for a second week’s recap of the “pro’s” at Pro Football Focus where we hold the analyst’s responsible for their picks. Read about week 3 results.
Top Contrarian Plays For Week 4 – Scott Barrett
Brock Osweiler – QB16, 15.56 pts
Carson Palmer – QB22, 11.52 pts
Charles Sims – RB57, 2.5 pts
LeSean McCoy – RB8, 19.8 pts
Julio Jones – WR1, 42 pts
Kevin White – WR46, 8.4 pts
Mercedes Lewis – TE36, 1.7 pts
Cameron Brate – TE12, 9.2 pts
The Julio Jones recommendation immediately earns Mr. Barrett high praise. He was owned in 6% of large leagues and dropped a 50 spot on em. Osweiler and Palmer were duds at QB. Sims was a bomb at RB but LeSean earned a passing grade. The rest were all mediocre picks with Mercedes not even on the radar in most people’s minds.
Last Week’s Grade – B+
This Weeks’ Grade – B
Bargains of the Week – Brandon Marianne Lee
Kirk Cousins – QB13, 17.32 pts
Dak Prescott – QB9, 18.10 pts
Trevor Siemian – QB32, 6.72 pts
Mark Ingram – RB9, 19.5 pts
Jordan Howard – RB14, 14.7 pts
Giovani Bernard – RB48, 5.7 pts
Dwayne Washington – RB63, 1.9 pts
Travis Benjamin – WR68, 4.8 pts
Emmanuel Sanders – WR12 18.4 pts
Michael Crabtree – WR2, 30.3 pts
Jamison Crowder – WR81, 3.1 pts
Cole Beasley – WR42, 8.8 pts
Zach Miller – TE10, 10.6 pts
Hunter Henry – TE4, 14.1 pts
Jesse James – TE14, 8.5 pts
She’s all over the place with the amount of “bargains” so it’s tough to grade when you pick 15 players. 5 of them finished in the top 10 in their position which is obviously what you are looking for in this type of list. 4 were within the top 20 which means over 50% of the picks were good. 6 were awful recommendations.
Last Week’s Grade – D+
This Week’s Grade – C+
Fades of the Week by Tyler Loechner
Carson Palmer – QB22, 11.52 pts
Matt Forte – RB41, 5.3 pts
Latavius Murray – RB47, 3.4 pts
Alshon Jeffrey – WR61, 6.1 pts
Brandon Marshall – WR14, 16.9 pts
Delanie Walker – TE23, 4.4 pts
What we’ll learn about Tyler is he’s much better at picking players who will do bad, than who do good. Great calls on Palmer, Forte, Murray, Jeffrey, and Delanie. A shade off on B Marsh but this is quality advice.
Last Week’s Grade – B-
This Week’s Grade – A-
Locks of the Week by Mike Tagliere
Kirk Cousins – QB13, 17.32 pts
Matthew Stafford – QB29, 8.22 pts
Melvin Gordon – RB4, 20.9 pts
Amari Cooper – WR53, 7.3 pts
Dennis Pitta – TE26, 3.2 pts
Melvin Gordon was the only “lock” (with Cousins being decent) and half the other analysts had him as well. The other “locks” were poor suggestions. I will not be using his advice until his picks sharpen up.
This Weeks Grade – D
(I gave him a C- last week on “Top Streaming Options)
Fanduel Lineup Advice: The Best Plays of Week 4 – Patrick Thorman
Ben Roethlisberger – QB2, 33.9pts
Carson Palmer – QB22, 11.52pts
Lamar Miller – RB20, 12.3pts
LeGarrette Blount – RB36, 7.3pts
Mark Ingram – RB9, 19.5 pts
Duke Johnson – RB31, 8.6pts
Alshon Jeffrey – WR61, 6.1pts
Doug Baldwin – WR51, 7.4pts
DeSean Jackson – WR106, 1pt
Michael Crabtree – WR2, 30.3pts
Travis Kelce – TE8, 10.8pts
Hunter Henry – TE4, 14.1 pts
Lots of poor advice here. If you aren’t hitting guys in the top 15, you aren’t going to win DFS. Big Ben, Mark Ingram, Crabtree, and Hunter Henry were the nice choices. If you played anyone else, there’s a good chance you weren’t going to win your league. Pat Thorman is not on solid footing with his selections in my book.
Last Weeks Grade – C
This Week’s Grade – C-
Week 4 Sleeper Candidates – Tyler Loechner
Steve Smith – WR6, 21.1pts
Amari Cooper – WR53, 7.3pts
Demaryius Thomas – WR11, 18.8pts
Emmanuel Sanders – WR12, 18.4 pts
DeMarco Murray – RB1, 24.9 pts
Jamaal Charles or Spencer Ware – RB33, 8.1pts
Dwayne Washington – RB63, 1.9pts
Greg Olsen – TE2, 18.6pts
Jason Witten – TE15, 8.2pts
C.J Uzomah – TE20, 6.5 pts
Notice that his sleepers are better than his actual picks. Steve Smith was primo. Both Bronco’s WR’s performed. Demarco was the #1 RB and Olsen the #2 TE. Lots of misses on Cooper this week. Dwayne Washington was a bust all over. Witten an Uzomah really weren’t going to be used any way you look at it.
This Week’s Grade – A
Week 4 Start Sit Advice – Dan Schneier
Best Matchups
Philip Rivers – QB9, 18.84 pts
Ezekiel Elliot – RB2, 22.2 pts
DeAndre Hopkins – WR108, .9pts
Start Them
Brian Hoyer – QB7, 19.78 pts
Jordan Howard – RB14, 14.7 pts
Philip Dorsett – WR19, 13.2 pts
Sit Them
Jameis Winston – QB24, 11.06 pts
Latavius Murray – RB47, 3.4 pts
Tavon Austin – WR71, 1.8 pts
Missing on DeAndre Hopkins likely cost you any DFS shot but he hit 8 of his other 9 recommendations which is worth something. 2 weeks in a row will keep him on my radar.
Last Week’s Grade – B
This Week’s Grade – B+
Evan Silva Quotes
Miller’s relatively slow start makes him an attractive DFS tournament play because it will lower the ownership of a big-play runner locked into monster usage. (RB20)
Big Ben makes for an excellent DFS tournament play. (QB2)
Crabtree leads Oakland in catches (19) and is cash-game viable in DFS this week (WR2)
Julio, of course, should still be fired up confidently. (WR1)
In DFS tournaments, Jackson will be the lowest-owned Redskins pass catcher this week and arguably offers the highest ceiling as Browns top corner Joe Haden continues to battle a groin injury (WR106)
DFS Lineup Advice
Week 4 Optimal Fanduel Lineup – Brandon Marianne Lee
Kirk Cousins – QB13, 17.32 pts
Melvin Gordon – RB4, 20.9 pts
Jordan Howard – RB14, 14.7 pts
Antonio Brown – WR8, 20.4 pts
Julio Jones – WR1, 42 pts
Jamison Crowder – WR81, 3.1 pts
Hunter Henry – TE4, 14.1 pts
Chris Boswell – K21, 5 pts
Panthers – D14, 7pts
Total 144.52 (B+ Grade)
Week 4 Optimal Draftkings Lineup – Tyler Loechner
Kirk Cousins – QB13, 17.32 pts
Le’Veon Bell – RB6, 20.3 pts
Melvin Gordon – RB4, 20.9 pts
DeAndre Hopkins – WR108, .9pts
Marvin Jones – WR37 9.9pts
Jamison Crowder – WR81, 3.1 pts
Hunter Henry – TE4, 14.1 pts
Adam Humphries – WR107, .9pts
Broncos – D3, 15pts
Total – 102.42 (D- Grade)
Final Thoughts
I had a great week in DK with the combination of advice from the analysts and Evan Silva. I know this will sound arrogant but I tended to go with my gut a little bit more this week instead of blindly following the recommendations. We’ll go again next week with a little better bankroll.